Means for the change-over control of moving picture apparatus



April 7, 1936. J. E. sooNs 2,036,306

- MEANS FOR THE CHANGE-OVER CONTROL OF MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS Filed Nov. 28, 1932 5 Shgets-Sheet l INVENTOR JAMES EL SOON.

BY flit/@1307 ATTORNEY April 7, 1936. 'J. E. sooNs 2,036,306

MEANS FOR THE CHANGE-OVER CONTROL OF MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS Filed Nov. 28, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JAMES E. SOONS BY We 1 ATTORNEY April 7, 1936- J. E. SOONS 1 2,036,306

MEANS FOR THE CHANGE-OVER CONTROL OF MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS Filed Nov. 28, 1932 s Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 7, 1936 MEANS FOR THE CHANGE-OVER CONTROL OF MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS James E. Soons, Yonkers, N. Y., assignor to Hot!- man-Soons Electrical & Engineering Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 28, 1932, Serial No. 644,804

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a means for the change-over control of moving picture apparatus, and particularly to correlated units which operate synchronously, or simultaneously to close a douser shutter in one projector machine and open a similar shutter in another machine and to shift the circuit of a sound amplifier from the shut off projector to the one which is simultaneously opened.

A further object is to provide correlated control units which may be easily attached to standard types of projectors without drilling, cutting or in any way disfiguring the structures of these machines.

Another object is to provide a purely mechanical means between a shift box and the amplifier so that no induction may be set up in the vicinity of the said amplifier such as might occur if the immediate connection were electrical.

The foregoing and other objects and features of the apparatus are fully set forth and described in the following specification and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a side view of a projector partly cut away to disclose the douser shutter. A magnetic control unit is shown mounted on the projector casing and connected by electric cable to a shift box which is mechanically connected to a sound amplifier. This view is taken on the line l-l of Figure 2.

' Fig. 2 shows the front, or lens ends of two projector machines. Control units are shown attached to these machines and both are electrically connected to a shift box. One machine is cut away to disclose an open douser shutter and the other shows a closed shutter in dotted outline. A sound amplifier is shown in the foreground connected mechanically to the shift box.

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged vertical section of a magnetic control unit attached over a douser shutter shaft. This view is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 4.

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the control unit of Figure 3.

Fig. 5 shows a vertical section of a shift box having a plunger slidable in opposed magnets and connected by a mechanical slide wire to an amplifier switch. This view is a section on the line 55 of Figure 6.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the shift box of Figure 5.

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram showing the circuits by which the apparatus functions.

Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the shift box connected in a modified wiring arrangement.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings; a side view of a projector machine H) which may be designated as machine A, is shown with a portion of the casing cut away to disclose a douser shutter H which is adapted to be swung over to shut off the tube l2 which projects its rays through the lens opening I3. The shutter II is mounted on a horizontal shaft ll which has a miter gear H in mesh with another gear 2| on a vertical shaft I5 which terminates in a rotatable knob It. In this view is also shown a sound amplifier I8 which is connected to the projector A by the cable I9.

Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings; A front view shows two projector machines which are the machine A, already mentioned, and a machine B which is similar in every respect except that A is shown with the shutter open, and B with it closed.

The principal elements of the invention consist of the following: On the projector machines A and B are mounted respectively control units 22 and 23; these units are connected by the cables 24 and 25 to a shift box 26. This box contains opposed magnets which will be described later, and are adapted to act upon a slidable wire 21 passing through a flexible sheath 28 and connected to a rocker arm 29 which is mounted in a bracket clamp 64 attached to the casing of the amplifier 18. The purpose of this slide wire 21 is to actuate the rocker arm 29 which operates the amplifier switch, without bringing any electrical wiring into proximity with the sound mechanism which might, by induction, interfere with the proper functioning thereof.

The view in Figure 2 shows the A machine after the switch 3| has been pressed down. The shutter ll isopenand the sound amplifier I8 is in closed circuit with that machine. A pressure on the switch 32 of the control unit 23 on the B machine would cause the shift box 26 to throw the rocker arm 29 and close the circuit between the amplifier l8 over the cable 20 to the B machine; at the same time, the said control unit 23 would open the shutter 33 of the B machine, and the control unit 22 in circuit with the unit 23 would close the shutter II on the A machine. Thus the shutters are operated and the sound current shifted instantly and simultaneously and perfect synchronism is maintained; and this is accomplished by one operator without regard to the distance separating the machines. The source of current for the operating units and the shift box is indicated in the views land 2 at 3!.

The details of the mechanism are as follows: Referring now to Figures 3 and 4; a control unit as that shown at 22 is illustrated. This unit has a casing 40 and this casing has an extended flange H which fits over a boss 42 on the machine structure i0 and is secured by the screws 43. A grooved pulley 44 has a lower shell 45 which is adapted to fit over the knob I6 of the shaft l5 and may be affixed thereto by the screw IS. A spring coil belt 41 passes partly around the pulley and is attached thereto at 48-see Figure 4. The ends of the coil belt 41 are attached to opposed plungers 49 and 50 which slide within the magnet coils 5| and 52. A two way switch 3| is in circuit with the magnets as will be described later in a wiring diagram. The magnets, when energized, will rotate the pulley and actuate the shaft l5 to open or to close the douser shutters. This may also be done manually by the knob 53. A shield 5t encases the pulley and the belt elements. This is shown in section in both views, the top being removed in Figure 4. It is attached to the casing 40 at 55.

In Figures 5 and 6 the shift box 26 is shown in detail. Referring mainly to Figure 5 it will be seen that the magnets 56 and 51 are in line with each other and a plunger 58 is slidable into either according to the current applied. A vertical stud 59 is mounted in the plunger and slides in the slot 60 of the plate iii. The mechanical slide wire 21 is affixed by a ball tip within the stud 59 and passes through the sheath 28 to the rocker arm 29 on the sound amplifier. The slide wire sheath is attached at 62 to the shift -.box, and at 53 to the clamp 18. The rocker arm 29 is mounted in the bracket clamp 64 which is attached to the amplifier casing as shown. The reciprocating bar 65 is connectable to throw a switch in the amplifier when actuated by the rocker arm 29. The bracket clamp 64 'is attached by means of an, extension frame 59 and an L clamp 18.

The wiring diagram in Figure 'I shows the method of operation of the apparatus. In this diagram the machines A and B are indicated in dot and dash lines, as are also the shift box 26 and the amplifier Ill. The relative positions of the movable elements are the same as indicated in all of the views. It will be observed that the switches 3i and 32 over the machines A and B are normally in a raised position, being held by the springs 61 and 68. In the diagram the switch 3i is shown depressed, thus connecting the wire 10 which is positive, and passing the current over the wire 1! to energize the magnet 5| from which a negative wire 12 leads back to source. A secondary circuit is also closed on the wire 13 which passes over to the B machine and through the switch 32 to energize the magnet 14 and thence over the wire 15 to source. Simultaneously another circuit passes from the wire 13 at 16 through the magnet 51 which pulls the rocker arm 23 down and connects the sound amplifier I8 over the Wire 11 to the A machine, returning over the negative wire 18 to source. The opposite set of circuits is similar to that just described.

The current of the sound amplifier I8 may be from any source such as indicated at 90. The current for operating the control units and shift box is taken from the source indicated at 35.

The diagram in Figure 8 illustrates the shift box 23 in circuit with independent switches 32 and 34 by which it may be caused to throw the switch arm 23; the means 21 between the stud 53 and the said am 23 being of a purely mechanical nature.

While the invention is herewith shown and described in its preferred form; it is not limited to these exact details, as many obvious minor departures therefrom may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. In a motion picture change-over mechanism of the character described the combination of a reciprocating solenoid energized by a remote source of electric power, cables connecting saidsolenoid to manually operated switches mounted separately one on each of the two motion picture machines, a mechanical slide wire connecting the plunger of said solenoid to a change-over switch on a remotely located sound amplifier, whereby the closing of one of the said switches will change over the program from one machine to the other without the creation of electrical disturbances.

2. In a motion picture change-over mechanism of the character described the combination of a reciprocating solenoid energized by a remote source of electric power, cables connecting said solenoid to manually operated switches mounted separately one on each of the two motion picture machines, a mechanical slide wire consisting of an outside flexible tubing. with an axially slidable wire, said mechanical slide wire connecting the plunger of said solenoid to a change-over switch on a remotely located sound amplifier, whereby the closing of one of said manually operated switches will change over the program from one machine to the other without the creation of electrical disturbances.

3. In a motion picture change-over mechanism of the character described the combination of a reciprocating solenoid energized by a remote source of electric power, cables connecting said solenoid to manually operated switches mounted separately one on each of the two motion picture machines, a mechanical slide wire consisting of an outside cylindrical flexible tubing with a coaxial, axially slidable, steel wire, said mechanical slide wire connecting the plunger of said solenoid to a change-over switch on a remotely located sound amplifier, whereby the closing of one of said manually operated switches will change over the program from one machine to the other without the creation of electromagnetic disturbances.

4. In a motion picture change-over mechanism of the character described the combination of a reciprocating solenoid energized by a remote source of electric power, cables connecting said solenoid to manually operated switches mounted separately, a mechanical slide wire consisting of an outside cylindrical fiexible coiled wire tubing with a coaxial, axially slidable, metallic element, said mechanical slide wire connecting the plunger of said solenoid to a change-over switch on a remotely located sound amplifier.

5. In a motion picture change-over mechanism the combination of a plurality of motion picture machines' a manually and electrically operable douser shutter on each of said machines; said douser shutter comprising a horizontal shaft, a shutter disc on said shaft, miter gears connecting said horizontal shaft to a transmission shaft extending to the outside of said motion picture machine, a pulley on said transmission shaft, opposing solenoids operatively connected to said pulley, a knob on said pulley for manual operation; a manually operable switch located at each of said motion picture machines; electric cables connecting said switch and said solenoids to a remote shift box, a polarized electromagnet in said shift box; a remotely located sound amplifier, a mechanical slide wire operatively connected between the plunger of said polarized electromagnet and a change-over switch on said sound amplifier.

6. In a motion picture change-over mechanism such as described in claim 5 where said operative connection between said opposing solenoids and 5 said pulley consists of an elastic coil-spring belt whereby any undue mechanical jerks are eliminated 7. In a motion picture change-over mechanism such as described in claim 5 where said manually operated switch located on each of said motion picture machines is of the momentary contact type. 

